Resiliently mounted conveyer



March 5, 1946.

M. s. BOWEN I RESILIENTLY MOUNTED CONVEYER SSheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 22, 1944 HHHJl 3 Sheets- Sheet s AV, j E EKW g Q 0 mm; .0; .0. .0. M1 @w J/ iww Y E -LWN M @v. .f u

March 5, 1946. M. s. BOWEN RESILIENTLY MOUNTED CONVEYER Filed Jan. 22, 1944 Patented Mar. 5, 1946 UNITED PATENT omce Mei-e1. S2;.Bowen,, ElIw0od any; Pa. assignor. m

Mathewsconveyer Comp ny; Pas wool-notation of Pennsylvania- Ellwood" City,.

Application rJanua-rmZZ, 1944 .SerialzNo. 5 19,3592

31'Ol'aims., (c1. .13.-35.)

- This. invention relates to c'onveyers and has particular reference to resiliently-"mounted"roller conveyers wherein the rollers aresupportedby: springs and are movable withrespect to the supporting frame.

The primary object ofthepresent invention is to provide a novel form. of constr-uctionfor a; spring mounted roller-conveyer wherein: the-individual rollers are spring mounted 'in a single pair of side frame members, th'ereby reducing the overall height to a minimum 'andpermitting' the use of this type of "conveyer 'inmany places-here tofore denied because of"the increased -height of resiliently mounted rollers over rigidly' mounted rollers.

Another object is to provide a conveyer of this character which shall consist ofrelatively few parts that may be easily standardized so that individual installations requiring rollers of a d'efi nite length and spacing'may be easily and quick ly assembled from such-parts;

Another object is to provide a novel form" or construction of the aforesaid? character which shall be readilyad'apted to curves-intheconveyen line, thereby simplifying thecQnStructionL and reducing the expense'thereofi l A'further object isto' provide-a spring-mounted roller conveyer wherein the individual rolll-Lr-sr shall be guided in their vertical"movementby slots in the side rails, thereby eliminating lateral movement of the rollers and' the tendency tevi brate laterally as a loadpassestliereover; Y

A still further object is to provide a spring mounted roller conveyer which shall be relatively simple in construction, easy-to assemble; inexpen sive to manufacture and which shallbe'relatively light in weight by reason of" the redu'cednumb'er" of parts required.

With the foregoing and 'othenobiectsf in view;

' the invention may .bestatedto consist'iir thevar' iousnovel features of construction and arrange' elevation illustrating; an axle in a: slot in aside frame;-

Figures 5' and 6 are fragmentary views j intop plan and side elevation respectively of-an axle;

Figure Tis aside elevation of one of'the axle supporting members;

Figure 8 'is 'a fragmentary side elevation of a modified form of conveyer frame wherein the rollers are on more widely spaced centers thana that illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a'similar View showing the rollers on still more-"widely spaced centersand a1so'illus, trating'a splice inithe side railsyan'd Figure. 1.0 isFa-fragmentary' transverse section of alconveyer adapted to. rest directly upon: a. continuous support.

A conveyer constructed in; a'ccordancewith my invention comprisesiia pairiofrside rails, I', each in thezfo'rm: of an angle iron." 'As'clearly shown in: Figure 3, these angle irons are preferably arranged: with their horizontal portions projecting toward each other so that the outer side wallsof the-"rails will present. a smoothrsurface; It'is obvious: however; thatthey-may be arranged in. reverse positionifidesiredi Each side rail is punched or otherwise formed.

' with vertically"slotted;-cut-outs 2? on the axial;

, tune.;.through. which the; axle 4 'projects;

metrically opposite. sides 5; 5 of. each. end of each ment or combination, all of which vvflrbe-fullyv described hereinafter and pointedput in the -ap* pended claims. V I

In the drawings accompanying and; forming a part of this application;

Figure 1 is a fragmentarysideelevation of a" conveyer constructed in accordance wit-lrmyin vention, and showing the-rollers'om relatively close centers;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary-top: plan view th ere of;

Figure 3 is*a vertical-"sectional viewtliereoi; Figure" 4 is a fragmentary detail view-inside center lines of .thelollers-ria; These cut-outspreferably.='intersect:.:the stop edge-of the side: rails aresadapted to receive roller: axles 4 upon which tneiro'llers-i' are' journaledi Referringsitoi'Figuresr3; 4, 5- and: 6, it. will be 'notedfthatxeaclrroller maywbe. formed from a suitable; lengtlt of steel tubing; having the ball-- a bearing assemblies pressediinto'eachend thereof:

amirtheinner'race formed witha. hexagonal aper- Dia- axle: are: flattened andthesefiattened portionsareiadapted to"; engage; in the: aforementioned. slotted :cut-outsi with sufficient clearance to per-=- mit free vertical movement therein. Preferably eachiend ofeach'axle is formed. with a longitu' dinalbore. fia-whichintersects a; transverse bore: '1 that :is. aligned with a bore 8 in: the inner: race of? each'bearing' so :that lubricant may be: introducedf therein; A; removable. plug ii -normallycloses the outer ends-of each bore 6: to keep: dirt; and other foreign material. from: entering the bearing."

The ends" of each rollerare' supported'by" a pair of s1'aeeially-*formed' 'eye bolts indicated gen er'ally at' Ill. v ReferringtoFigur'es-gi and "ljit will be noted that each eye bolt is formed' 'with 'a-Ve1-'-=- tical 'head l f -haying omiosed 'flat surfaces and' an aperture I2 which conforms to the cross-sectional area of the flattened end portions of an axle. The head II merges with an integrally formed circular collar I4 arranged normal to the head and formed with a skirt I5 of reduced diameter. This circular collar is adapted to overlie the top surface of a coil spring I6 interposed between the collar and the horizontal flange of a side rail I, and the skirt I5 is adapted to fit within the convolutions of the spring as clearly illustrated in Figure 3. A threaded stem I1 projects from the skirt and extends through an aperture I8 formed in the horizontal flange of the side rail. This stem receives a nut I9 for placing the spring I6 under compression, a lock washer 20 and a lock nut 2|. The degree of precompression of springs I6 depends, of course,

the relative size of the parts.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 wherein I have illustrated a conveyer having the rollers on rela tively close centers, the side frames I are tied together by transversely disposed rods 25 welded or otherwise secured thereto, and angle irons 28 also welded at the bottom-surfaces of the horizontal flanges of the side frames. The entire conveyer may be' conveniently supported by a plurality of channel supports 21. Preferably a short section 28 of a channel member is Welded at suitable intervals to the side frames and a plate 29 is welded across the bottom surface thereof. Similar plates 30 are welded to the tops of the channel supports 21 and a bolt and nut indicated at 3! secures the parts together. Where the side rails are to be spliced, as shown at the right hand end of Figures 1 and 2, a short section 28 is welded flush with each end of the abutting side rails I, and the abutting flanges are bolted together as indicated at 32. The bolts 3| which secure the plates 29 to the support 21 are here shown as passing through angles 33 secured to the support.

In Figure 8, wherein the rollers are on more widely spaced centers than in Figure 1, the side frames are tied together with angle members 35 butt welded to the inner edges of the base flanges of the side rails, otherwise the construction may be similar to that shown in Figure 1.

In Figure 9, wherein the rollers are on still more widely spaced centers, the side rails may be tied together by transversely disposed angle members 36 arranged between adjacent rollers. These angle members are preferably arranged in inverted V position and are welded to the base flanges of the side rails. In addition, a transversely extending strip 31 is butt weldedto each side flange of the side rails. In this figure, I have also illustrated a modified form of splice for the side rails I which consists in welding a plate 38 to the end portion of each side rail and bolting the overhanging portion of the plate to the abutting side rail as indicated at 39.

Where it is desirable to place the conveyer directly on the floor or other continuous support,

This consists in providing suitable supports 40 which may be welded or otherwise secured to the side rails I in such position as to elevate the side rails a distance sufficient to permit the axle supporting members I!) to move freely without danger of the lower threaded end I1 striking the support. If desiredgsuitable transverse braces 4| may also be provided between the side rails at suitable intervals.

With the constructions thus described it is I utilize the construction shown in Figure 10.-

upon the loads to be carried by the conveyer and installation, after which the entire conveyer may be easily andquickly assembled.

It will also be noted that movement of the axles is confined to a vertical direction due to the engagement of the ends thereof in the slots 2.

Hence, movement of heavy loads over the conveyer will not cause the rollers to move longitudinally of the conveyer with consequent vibration as they spring back to their normal position.

The use of the axle supporting members with the springs interposed between these members and the base flanges of the side rails eliminates sub frames and permits each roller to move vertically independently of the adjacent rollers. This provides a smoother ride or passage of irregular shaped articles over the conveyer and also greatly simplifies the construction and reduces to a minimum, the time required for assembly.

What I claim is:

l. A resiliently mounted roller conveyer comprising a pair of longitudinally disposed and transversely spaced side rails each having a vertical side flange and a base flange extending transversely therefrom, a plurality of roller supporting members having stems projecting downwardly iromhead portions through longitudinally spaced apertures formed in the base flanges of each of said side rails, bearing means carried by said head portions supporting transversely disposed. rollers between pairs of' said supporting memberaresilient elements surrounding the stem portion of each of said supporting members between the head portions thereof and the base flanges to resiliently support said rollers on said side rails, fastening means on each of said stems below the base flanges arranged to engage said flanges for limiting upward movement of the supporting members and the rollers carried thereby, and projections extending oppositely from said bearing means into elongated slots formed in the side flanges of said side rails and verticalll aligned with said apertures to guide vertical movement of said rollers.

2; A resiliently'mounted roller conveyer com prising apair of longitudinally disposed and transversely spaced side rails each having a vertical side flange and a base flange extending transversely therefrom, a plurality of roller supporting members having stems projecting downwardly from head portions through longitudinally spaced apertures formed in the base flanges of each of said side rails, bearing means carried by said head portions supporting transversely disposed rollers between pairs of said supporting members, a compression spring surrounding the stem portion of each of said supporting members between the head portions thereof and the base flanges to resiliently support said rollers on said side rails, fastening means on each of said stems below said base flanges to engage saidflanges for limiting upward movement of the supporting members and the rollers carried thereby, and projections extending oppositely from said bearing means into open-ended elongated slotsfcrmed in the upper edges of the side flanges of said side rails and vertically aligned with said apertures to receive said projections and guide vertical movements of said rollers, said fastening means being arranged to prevent movement of said pro-.

jections out of said slots. 7 y

3. A resiliently mounted roller eonveyer comprising a pair of longitudinally disposed and transversely spaced side rails each having a vertical side flange with a horizontal base flange extending transversely therefrom, a plurality of roller supporting members having stems projecting downwardly from head portions through longitudinally spaced apertures formed in the base flange of each of said side rails, transversely rounding the stem portion of each of said supporting members between the head portion 7 thereof and the base flanges to resiliently support said axles and the rollers thereon, and fastening means on each of said stems below the base flanges to engage said flanges for limiting upward movement of the supporting members and the rollers carried thereby, said axles extending oppositely into elongated slots formed in the side flanges of said side rails and vertically aligned with said apertures to guide vertical movements disposed axles carried by the head portions of.

pairs of said supporting members, rollers journaled on each of said axles between said pairs of supporting members, a compression spring surment thereof..

of said rollers but restrain longitudinal move- MEREL S. BOWEN. 

